Mass. Contends With Ambulance Industry's Staffing Crisis

A shortage of EMTs and paramedics is threatening emergency response times.

At Brewster Ambulance, staffing can be a daily worry. Brewster has raised wages above the statewide average of $17-$20/hour for EMTs and $22-$26/hour for paramedics."Recruitment is half the battle, but the bigger battle is on the retention front," Corey said."It is pretty dire," Cataldo said."It is unprecedented -- the lack of qualified staff at this time is something we have never experienced.

In recent days, the industry has worked with the state on reimbursement rates, said Cataldo, who is also head of the Massachusetts Ambulance Association. "Every little bit of additional revenue allows us to offer a better wage, which hopefully will transition into more people looking at EMS and EMT or paramedic as a viable career path," Cataldo said."The hope is we will be able to bring in and find new and creative ways to bring more people into the industry."

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